Frankfurt/Korbach/Regensburg/Villingen-Schwenningen, November 5, 2019. For the first time this year, two company names can be seen at the Continental stand of Milan's EICMA, the world's most important motorcycle trade fair: The previous Powertrain Division, which was spun off as part of the Group' s organizational restructuring, is now called Vitesco Technologies; the other divisions will continue to operate under the name Continental. What has not changed, however, is the broad range of pioneering products the technology group offers in the two-wheel sector. The innovations presented in Milan include cloud-based services and easy-to-implement connected services solutions, as well as a flexible camera system, multifunctional engine controls and motorcycle tires for all types of terrain.

Like Continental Powertrain, Vitesco Technologies offers a broad portfolio of innovative products in the field of two-wheel and powersports, ranging from engine control systems and a variety of sensors and actuators to fuel and exhaust management systems. The solutions are tailored to the specific requirements of the individual markets and meet the latest emission standards such as Euro 5 (starting January 2020), China 4 including on-board diagnostics (OBD, since July 2019) and Bharat 6 including OBD (starting April 2020 in India). In addition, Vitesco Technologies is intensively involved in electric drives for two-wheelers, benefiting from comprehensive know-how gained in the passenger car sector, where Continental has long been a pioneer in drive electrification.

Initially, the focus here will be on the Asian markets. For this reason, the first step consisted in developing a drive system capable of replacing combustion engines with an engine displacement of up to 150 cc: a 48-volt machine complete with associated electronics, which will soon begin serial production.

Vitesco Technologies' EICMA innovations will focus on the latest generation of engine control systems for single-cylinder gasoline engines with an engine displacement of 50 to 250 cc – again with a clear focus on Asia. In this "Air Module Engine Control Unit," all the essential components for controlling the combustion engine are integrated in the throttle valve housing. Since gasoline injection is becoming the standard in Asian markets due to stricter emission standards, Vitesco Technologies has tailor-made products for these markets in its portfolio: the M4L engine control system, which has already gone into series production in China, and the M4A and M4B, which will celebrate their market premiere in India in 2020. The systems are extremely compact and robust, and set standards in terms of price/performance ratio - and their microprocessor brings the potential for new functionalities on board. So the M4L module has been further enhanced and made Bluetooth compatible. With the help of an app developed by Vitesco Technologies, the driver can display the average speed or average consumption using a smartphone, but can also read out the DTC memory of the in-vehicle diagnostic system. Keyless Go and Key-Sharing are also available in the new M4L_BLE version. The other M4 versions provide even more advanced capacities. For example, the M4A can be integrated into a CAN communication, and the functional flagship M4B can use an additional sensor to detect when the motorcycle falls to its side and switch off the fuel supply. At the same time as developing tailor-made two-wheeler technologies for the Asian markets, Vitesco Technologies also greatly expanded production capacities for these systems in China, India and Thailand.

Continental adds powerful, flexible camera system to motorcycles

Continental is also presenting a new development for modern driver assistance systems ARAS™ at the EICMA: the first camera system for two-wheelers that works with a satellite camera.

The system consists of a satellite camera with complete dust and splash protection (DIN 40050 IP6K9K) in combination with a scalable, powerful control unit (ADCU), which is able to handle additional ARAS™ functions. This "2-box solution" with its very small camera that can be easily integrated into the front of the vehicle and an extremely compact control unit that can be installed under the seat, for instance, offers the vehicle manufacturer maximum flexibility. This also applies to the functionality. This is because the system is designed to later merge camera technology with radar technology, which is already used in various ARAS™ functions.

As a stand-alone solution, the new camera system enables the detection of objects, position determination within roadway markings and functions such as traffic sign recognition (TSR) or the intelligent headlamp assistant. Among the radar-based functions that can be optimized by camera support are intelligent cruise control (ACC) and the emergency brake assistant (EBA). For example, the fusion of both sensor technologies makes it possible to detect and classify objects even more precisely because position data of the two-wheeler in its own lane is constantly determined, evaluated and included in the calculations of the control unit in milliseconds.

The systems presented are an outstanding addition to Continental's portfolio of driving safety systems and complement its existing strong product range of brake and stability control systems for motorcycles of all performance and equipment classes.

Many motorcyclists mount their smartphones in the cockpit to use navigation services. However, depending on the incidence of light, the mobile phone is difficult to read, often covers some of the instruments, is usually not waterproof and is generally ready for scrapping if it comes loose. In Milan, Continental is presenting a Connected Services solution where a smartphone can be left in the pocket because it only serves to establish the connection between the motorcycle and the services hosted in the Continental.cloud. The information will then appear directly on the cockpit instrument display. The Connected Services offering is bundled in an app developed by Continental, into which both specific motorcycle manufacturer services and third-party services such as turn-by-turn navigation or music players may be integrated. Continental acts as a one-stop shop for the OEMs, who also offer MultiViu® Sports Plus, a scalable instrument development platform with TFT display in their portfolio.

At the EICMA, Continental will also be presenting a new service as a concept study: the forward-looking eHorizon for motorcycles, which warns drivers of potential dangers such as slippery roadway sections.

Weather data and information on the condition and geometry of the road, for example, are analyzed to assess the road condition. In addition, data from the Road Condition Observer, a "swarm-intelligent" system that uses existing technologies such as electronic stability control and camera systems to assess road conditions, will be added in the future. This allows predictions to be made as to how well the tires will adhere to the respective stretch of road.

Six new motorcycle tires for race track, road and off-road use

Continental is starting the 2020 motorcycle season with six innovations in the tire segment, including three sports tires with a broad range of applications. Compared with its predecessor ContiSportAttack 3, the ContiSportAttack 4 road sports model offers a much larger contact area at low sloping positions and also achieves new record values in terms of grip, accuracy and handling. The ContiRaceAttack 2 Street hypersport tire is a racing tire that also handles everyday driving without any problems and replaces the ContiRaceAttack Comp.End. The ContiRaceAttack 2 in the "soft" or "medium" versions, which can optionally be used with reduced air pressure and tire warmer, delivers maximum performance on the race track. The BlackChili Compound from Continental forms the basis for the extremely stable track and grip properties of all three sports tires. For pilots who want to travel "far and wide," the TKC 70 Rocks features a rear-wheel tire without a center band and with cleats over the entire tread, which can be combined with the front-wheel tire of the TKC 70. When it comes to road tires, two newcomers, designed on the basis of the multiple test winner ContiRoadAttack 3, set strong accents in terms of dependability, road grip and service life: the touring sports tire ContiRoad, which is positioned between the ContiRoadAttack 3 and its predecessor ContiRoadAttack 2, and the entirely redesigned cross-ply tire ContiStreet for motorcycles with medium to small cubic capacity, which is the ContiGO! (City).

Continental and Vitesco Technologies will present their product updates at the EICMA in hall 9, booth O68. Experts from the various fields will be available to answer questions.